Saigon, Ho Chi Minh City, People

Years ago Vietnam touched my life.  It touched all our lives in that era.  In my case I gave my younger brother.  He was a helicopter pilot who was killed over Cambodia.  Our family was devastated but over the years we healed.  The nation has healed.  As a nation we have opened our arms to many Vietnamese folks.  That has been a good thing. 

Somebody told me Wichita has the fourth largest Vietnamese population in the US.  Maybe so.  I don't know but I know it's large.  Over the years I have made some Vietnamese friends, shopped in their markets and eaten at their restaurants.  Vietnam has touched my life a second time.  This time with a warm, friendly hug.   I have come to love Vietnamese food and my Vietnamese friends.  It has helped the healing.  A trip to Viet Nam has always been high on my list.  I would like to share some images from my recent trip.  This is the first of about four posts on Viet Nam.

This is not me but it is what I did.  I loved the bike ricks.  They were not cheap.  I did bargain but they were still more expensive than a cab.  In bargaining I claimed at one point,

"Five bucks!  They don't charge that much in India and they use gas!"

The saigon bike rick driver didn't miss a beat.  He looked me right in the eye,

"India is a poor country."

There you have it.  Economist, Social Scientist and bike rick driver all rolled into one.

This is how I got around and it was perfect for taking pictures. This lady, street vendor, was captured as we cruised by her in a bike rick.

The fellow below on the left is Hoi: Economist, Social Scientist and bike rick driver.  The fellow on the right sold me a Rolex watch.  It was more expensive than the Rolexs I got in Mexico.  They were $12.00.  This one was $12.50.  It had the date; worth the $0.50.

Behold these two lovey ladies.  They were guest relations at the hotel.  The Majestic.  Founded in 1925.  Very nice and very old school.  I was very comfortable there.

This lady was my favorite subject.  She ignored me while I shot her.  She went about her business of selling grapes in traffic.  She has a very lovely face.

This was taken from the sidewalk as afternoon traffic rushed by; Saigon traffic but definitely not Bangalore traffic. High heels, short shorts, helmet, sweat shirt, scooter cum Vespa: young Saigon's fusion with Western culture.

Here I caught a young family on a scooter in traffic.  This was a common sight.  It is also a common sight in Bangalore.

Two more lovely faces.  The one on the left of course is the grape lady.  On the right below is a lady who was selling veggies in a street market stall.

This lady is a hard worker.  Her smile let me know it was OK to take her picture.  She is cutting pork.  The Vietnamese work miracles with pork.

These were taken a the zoo.  On the left below is a youngin' who had enough zoo.  On the right are a couple of small girls who were part of a larger family who was having a zoo picnic.  Perfect family outing.

Here are two more little girls.  The one on the left was captured at the zoo as she watched a pop singer perform.  Check out the american flag dress.  The one on the right was taken outside a street market behind one of the restaurants.  I had hoped a call would not come in on her cell phone at that moment.  It might have choked her.